1. Field of Invention
Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a network, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for managing a link in a network. The present disclosure was derived from a research conducted as part of an effort for developing a Tera-grade optical-circuit-packet integrated switching system for constructing a next generation optical transport network.
2. Description of Related Art
Future data and transport networks will consist of various network elements such as a router, switch, DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) system, Add-Drop Multiplexor (ADM), PXC (Photonic cross-connect) or OXC (optical cross-connect) and the like.
Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) provides a control plane that has been expanded from that of MPLS to include switching and forwarding technologies and layers of a variety of devices. GMPLS developed to embrace not only Lambda switching but also other technologies. As a result of such generalization, networks realized by each of the technologies of time-division, lambda, and space switching (between ports or fibers) of a SONET ADM and so forth have been enabled to be connected by a single control plane.
GMPLS enables dynamic supply of network resources and supports survivability of networks using technologies such as network protection, restoration and so forth with a single control plane even in complexly configured network environment.
Besides switching by packets, GMPLS may support time-slot, wavelength or waveband, physical port or fiber switching as well. This means that new Label Switch Routers (LSRs), more specifically, new types of interfaces may be included in a GMPLS domain, which also means that there are Label Switched Paths (LSPs) consisting of circuits of other types of technologies.
The forwarding layer structure between LSPs is a concept already existing in MPLS, but GMPLS enables an LSP layer relationship between not only the same types of interfaces but also other types of interfaces.